I don’t know what it is about rookies, perhaps its the whole ‘ fresh meat’ thing, like the first day of freshman year. Watching a young guy play his first game. These are not the Thomas Vaneks and Jason Pominvilles, with iron clad contracts. These are the ones who have to fight for a spot on next years team this year, and they’re doing a fine job of such.

On Monday night, Brayden McNabb scored his first NHL goal, and had Robyn Regehr not pancaked Ovie, that would have been the loudest celebration of the night. It’s exciting, or maybe that’s just me, sitting in the stands going ‘ oh, I bet his mom is so proud!’

This week, I have discovered that Zack Kassian…will never play in the AHL again. When Brad Boyes returned, it wasn’t the usual moaning and groaning of his lack of playing of the hockey, but sadness over the idea of Kassian returning to Rochester, though has remained in the line up.

All the signs are pointing to Kassian spending the rest of the year in the Buff. He went to Catwalk for Charity, he played with little children at the Christmas visit to the hospital, there’s even a shersey out there with his name. Drew Stafford didn’t even get a shersey until last year when he was producing hat tricks like the Duggars produce babies.

In early November, the 20 year old signed a multi- year entry level contract with the Sabres, and by the time December came around, he had played his first NHL game, which included his first NHL point, and recording his first NHL goal.

Oh, and his first NHL fight, of course.

While attending an Amerks game last week, they had stats during intermission regarding the players who were in Buffalo, which probably lasted the entire time I was waiting in line for a drink. Based on my basic college math course, should Kassian stay up here for at least five more games, he will have played more games as a Sabre than an Amerk.

Other than the raging jealousy he causes for his Amerks teammates, there seems to be no need to send him back. If anything, we’re sticking a veteran in a Kassian jersey (picture it: ” whatttt? That’s not Derek Roy! Read the jersey!)

The old saying goes if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Everything else is broken, keep the guy who looks like he could sometimes pass as a plumber, he’ll fix it.

I hereby declare Kassian’s New Years resolution to be spending his 21st (January 24th, mark your calendars) on Chippewa Street, and not at the Dinosaur BBQ.

If anything, the ECHL call up replacing Kassian in Rochester is backing me up.